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Mr. Otto Peterson was born October 9, 1870, at Backhammars Bruk, Municipality of Gunnilbo, Westmanland, Sweden. In the spring of 1890, he left Sweden for Canada. In 1891, he took homestead on the N.E. 25-17-18W in the Hilltop District where he lived alone for some time.

In 1893, Mr. and Mrs. Carl R. Booth and family came to Canada. Mrs. Booth was a sister to Otto Peterson, and the family stayed with him the first year, while they built a house on their own farm. After the Hilltop school was built, the Booth children would stay with their Uncle Otto during the week, so they could go to school. On weekends they returned to their home. On Sunday Mr. Booth would hitch up the oxen and pack the family, along with boxes of bread, butter and other food supplies into the wagon box and drive up to Hilltop, where the children would stay until Friday. This was a distance of seven miles.

During these years Otto worked very hard clearing the land, as there was dense bush everywhere.

In 1898, Otto Peterson was united in marriage to Hilda Hakanson, who was a daughter of Peter and Bengta Hakanson. Hilda was born in Almas, Sweden, on Feb. 21, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Hakanson and family emigrated to the Dakotas in 1883 and they moved to Canada and homesteaded on the S.W. 14-18-17W in 1885 in the district which is now the Municipality of Clanwilliam. They received patent on their land March 8, 1902.

Otto was a Charter Member of the Hilltop Baptist Church. He was baptized by Believers Baptism and by confession of faith in the year 1896. Hilda also became a member by Baptism and profession of faith in 1899.

Otto and Hilda had a family of six children. Esther Peterson was born on September 27, 1899. She attended Hilltop School and helped around the home. She also worked in Winnipeg, where she met Charlie Wick berg. They were married on June 28, 1922. They made their home in Winnipeg and Charlie worked at the CNR Shops in Transcona until his retirement. They had one son Vernon, "Bud", who was married to Helen Grandin from Manor, Saskatchewan. They had four children. "Bud" and Helen also lived in Winnipeg for a time, but later moved to San Diego. "Bud" died at the age of 48 years. His family are still in the U.S.A. Charlie Wickberg died in 1969. Esther is living in Winnipeg.

Ida Peterson was born January 15, 1901. She also attended Hilltop School and one year in Minnedosa. She later took a business course at Brandon College, and worked in Winnipeg as a stenographer. On October 7, 1933, she was married to Dave Miller. Dave worked for the C.N.R. for a time and they later moved to California, where they now reside. They had a son, Allan and a daughter Margaret. Allan is married, and lives in Por­ tland, Oregon. Margaret is not married. She is employed by the American Embassy and is now stationed in Portugal.

Albert Peterson was born November 13, 1902. He was married to Lillie Larson on December 11, 1934. Albert farmed a quarter of land adjoining the Peterson homestead. He farmed until his retirement, when they moved to Brandon to make their home there. They had three children - Agnes, Mrs. Joe Mitchell, 'who lives with her husband in Neepawa; Dennis, who lives with his wife and family in Brandon; Norman resides in Winnipeg with his wife and children. Albert died on December 12, 1982. Lillie is presently living with her daughter in Neepawa.

Edwin Peterson was born August 9, 1904. He farmed the family homestead for a number of years, and lived with his parents. Edwin was married to Amy Walstrom on September 24, 1936, at which time Edwin's parents moved into a small cottage built for them close to the